22
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, November 3, 2011
Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com
Index Nyceria ...................................................... 23 Gordon Lightfoot...................................... 24 Bakersfield Comic-Con ............................ 25 Arts Alive .................................................. 26 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 28 First Friday................................................ 29 New museum director ............................ 30 Calendar .............................................. 34-35
Susan Scaffidi CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST
Does ‘Broadway’ hurt Bakersfield? Some say the enthusiasm generated from touring productions helps local theater, but critics say it’s just too hard to compete with the big boys BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer
S
ome 20 years ago, the arrival of a show like “Cats,” was hailed as proof that Bakersfield “had arrived” as a market worthy of national notice. And while there are some who see the regular scheduling of professional productions that is known as “Broadway in Bakersfield” as a “rising tide,” there are at least some local performers who feel the tours come at a great cost. “That Broadway series has pretty well destroyed our Harvey (Auditorium) program,” said Bakersfield Music Theater producer Jim Fillbrandt. “In fact, we’ve had to alter the Harvey program so much it’s become feeble,” he said. Other local performing arts organizations might feel the indirect competition of the Broadway series for entertainment dollars. But BMT must go head to head with the series, as big Broad-
way musicals have been the BMT’s stock in trade since its inception as Starlight of Kern decades ago. In fact, both BMT and the Broadway series have one show in common on their schedules this season: “My Fair Lady.” Fillbrandt said competition from the professional shows is killing BMT. “When it comes to the Harvey Auditorium, why would you go (there) when you’ve already seen a professional production,” Fillbrandt said. Regardless of whether a production is professional, amateur or school-based, an organization must buy the performance rights to a show. Rights are generally held by a handful of New York-based companies, each of which have extensive libraries: TAMS-Witmark, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Samuel French are among the most important. Under licensing rules, a local production can have the rights unless a professional company is going to produce the same show, or even has an interest in it. Fillbrandt said BMT got lucky with “My Fair Lady.” “We bought the rights before the (blackout) window opened,” Fillbrandt said. Fillbrandt said conditions have changed;
If you saw this ...
PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER BECKMAN
Please see 33
Stars Theatre’s recent production of “My Fair Lady” starred Bob Anderson as Henry Higgins, Ashten Smith as Eliza Doolittle and Brent Rochon as Col. Pickering.
Python to ‘South Pacific’: Season long on variety BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer
T
hree giants of the Broadway musical repertoire, plus two modern classics, make up the 2011-12 series at the Rabobank Theater. This season’s lineup includes “My Fair Lady,” “South Pacific” and “Damn Yankees,” along with recent hits “Spamalot” and “Mamma Mia!” The series is produced and managed by Jam Theatricals out of Chicago, co-sponsored by Catholic Healthcare West. Monty Python fans are already used to the comedy troupe’s clever use of music, especially original songs, in their shows and films. Original Python Eric Idle “lovingly ripped off” characters, plot and gags from the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” added some satiric barbs about Broadway shows and came up with “Spa-
Will you see this?
Broadway in Bakersfield Where: Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. When: Season runs Nov. 16 to March 8 Tickets: Available at Ticketmaster, Rabobank Box office. Tickets available in five-show and four-show packages, $145 to $260, and individually, ranging from $25 to $55, depending on the show.
malot,” (Nov. 16) which is just as irreverent as its inspiration. Composed by Idle and long-time collaborator John du Prez, the show includes favorite scenes, such as “The Knights Who Say ‘Ni,’” “the killer rabbit,” and “The Tale of Brave Sir Robin,” while still searching for the Holy Grail. Please see 33
BIG LEAGUE PRODUCTIONS INC.
The touring production of “My Fair Lady,” will be presented at the Rabobank in January and stars Richard Springle as Col. Pickering, Aurora Florence as Eliza Doolittle and Gary Kimble as Henry Higgins.